1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand-held devices for splitting small solid objects, and in particular, to a hand-held, portable pill splitter for splitting medicinal tablets and the like so that they may be more readily swallowed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Individuals are often required to take medication in some form of tablet, pill or caplet and depending on the condition of the individual and the type of tablet, some tablets are difficult to swallow in their whole form. Also, particularly with respect to children, the dosage contained in the standard tablet may be more than is required, necessitating that the tablet or pill be broken into smaller pieces. This problem not only arises in the realm of human consumption, but in animals and pets as well. In particular, small pets such as dogs and cats, require that the standard manufacturer's dosage be reduced by breaking the tablet prior to consumption.
A number of pill splitters are currently available, as disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 2,655,259 issued to W. Davoren on Oct. 13, 1953; U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,802 issued to R. Stevens on Jun. 11, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,568 issued to H. Berner on Jul. 3, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,553 issued to H. Hoeks et al on Dec. 27, 1983; and Des. 310,731 issued to N. Lieptz on Sept. 18, 1990. While all of the devices disclosed in these patents provide various means for splitting or breaking small objects such as pills and the like, none of them are readily adaptable for use to split pills and tablets in all of the various forms sold today, particularly in the various forms of prescriptions drugs and over-the-counter medications available. For example, none of the devices readily accepts and properly centers an elongated caplet for splitting it in half. Also, a number of the devices in the prior art are designated to be used with specific types of medication where the pill is either marked or scored, or the medicinal capsules are specifically designed to be used with the opener or splitter provided.
There is a need, heretofore not met, for providing a pill splitter which is readily adapted to be used with a large variety of pills, capsules, caplets and tablets available both for over- the-counter medications and prescription drugs.